GB2404649A

GB2404649A - A bathing device having a reclinable backrest for use by a disabled person

Info

Publication number: GB2404649A
Application number: GB0318575A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Juei-Chuan Cheng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-06-19
Filing date: 2003-08-07
Publication date: 2005-02-09
Also published as: GB0318575D0; DE2031215A1; DE2031215B2

Abstract

A bathing device comprises a base frame 10, a movable bar 13, two pairs of crossed support legs 11 with a connecting bar 12. A seat 14 is mounted on the support legs 11 and the seat 14 has a reclining back rest 161. At the rear of the back rest 161 there is a control rod 16, which is pivotally connected to a top end of the backrest 161 and the bottom end of which is provided with a sliding wheel 17 within a retaining member 20. The seat 14 moves up and down by activating the control pole. The backrest 161 can be adjusted by the control rod 16 for reclining. The retaining member 20 is formed of a frame 21, a crossbar retaining element 30 and two locating elements 40. The crossbar retaining element is provided with a hooked portion 33 to restrain the seat 14. Two foldable wings 15 are provided on both sides of the seat 14 to aid entry of the disabled person into the bath by unfolding them over the rim of the bath.

Description

DEVICE TO AID A PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON TO TAKE A BATH

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a bathroom device, and more particularly to a bathing device comprising a seat and a reclining backrest, which are designed to enable a physically handicapped person to take a bath in a bathtub.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Great Britain Patent No.2329121 discloses a bathing chair, which is designed to aid a physically handicapped person to take a bath. The bath chair comprises a seat I and a backrest 4. The seat 1 can be moved up and down, while the backrest 4 can be adjusted for reclining. However, the up-and-down movement of the seat 1 and the reclining adjustment of the backrest 4 can be effected only at the time when a bolt rod 61 of a bolt 64 is pressed with one hand. The bolt 64 is disposed under the seat 1.Such a control mechanism as described above is not only inconvenient for a physically handicapped person to operate but also complicated in construction, thereby resulting in high cost of production of the control mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a bathing device,which is designed to make it easier for a physically handicapped person to take a bath.

The bathing device of the present invention is simple in construction and is thereforecost-effective. In addition, the bathing device of the present invention is user-friendly. The bathing device of the present invention comprises a base on which a seat and a reclining backrest are mounted securely in conjunction with a retaining member. The retaining member is used to hold securely the seat and the backrest, so as to safeguard a user of the bathing device. The retaining member is formed of a crossbar retaining element and two locating elements. The crossbar-retaining element brings about a retaining effect or a releasing effect on the seat at the time when a control rod is displaced in the retaining member. Meanwhile, the control rod is located by the locating element. The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of the retaining member of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows a top plan view of the retaining member of the present invention. Fig. 4 shows a sectional schematic view taken along the direction indicated by a line 4-4 as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of the action of the present invention as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a schematic view to illustrate the action of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 6-6 as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 shows a schematic view of the action of the portion taken along the direction indicated by the line 4-4 as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 shows a schematic view of the action of the portion taken along the direction indicated by the line 6-6 as shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 9 is a schematic combination view of Fig. 7 and 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in Figs 1-3, the present invention comprises the component parts, which are described hereinafter. A base 10 is provided in the underside with a plurality of suction cups (not shown in the drawings) by means of which the base 10 is securely located in a bathtub. Two support rods 11 are mounted on the base 10 such that they are pivoted at the bottom end with a movable rod 13 of the base 10, and that they are connected at the mid-segment by a connection rod 12. A seat 14 is supported by the support rods 11 which are capable of a shearing action. The seat 14 is raised or lowered by the shearing action. The seat 14 is provided with two foldable leaves 15. A backrest 161 is pivoted at the bottom end with an inner end of the seat 14; thereby enable the backrest 161 to be adjusted for reclining at a time when the seat 14 is moved. A control rod 16 is fastened pivotally at the top end thereof with the backrest 161, and at the bottom end with a slide wheel 17 mounted on an axle 18. A retaining member 20 is formed of a frame 21 in which an inclined slide slot 23 is disposed. The frame 21 is provided in two sides walls with a slope 24. As the backrest 161 is raised or inclined, the slide wheel 17 of the control rod 16 moves along the inclined slide slot 23. The retaining member 20 is further formed of a crossbar retaining element 30 of an L-shaped construction, and two locating elements 40. The crossbar-retaining element 30 is disposed in a hollow interior 25 of the retaining member 20 and is provided with a pivoting hole 31 for receiving a pivot 26, which is also received in a pivoting hole 22 of the hollow interior 25 of the retaining member 20. The crossbar-retaining element 30 is further provided with an elastic portion 32 and a hooked portion 33.The two locating elements 40 are provided with a pivoting hole 41 by which the two locating elements 40 are respectively pivoted to the retaining member 20 by a pivot 26, which is received in the pivoting hole 41 of the two locating elements 40 and the pivoting hole 22 of the retaining member 20. The two locating elements 40 are further provided with an elastic portion 43 and a locating portion 42. The elastic portion 32 and 43 are made of a spiral or plate like spring. As illustrated in Figs. 1-6, the present invention must be first located in a bathtub prior to being used by a physically handicapped person. The control rod 16 is operated so as to raise the seat 14 to be level with the ledge of the bathtub. The two leaves 15 of the seat 14 are unfolded to rest on the ledge of the bathtub, so as to facilitate the moving of the hips of a physically handicapped person to the center of the seat 14, with both feet of the physically handicapped person dipping into the bathtub. The control rod 16 is then activated to lower the seat 14, thereby enabling the trunk of the physically handicapped person to be submerged in the bath water of the bathtub. In the meantime, the backrest 161 is adjusted by the control rod 16 for reclining. As illustrated in Figs. 4-6, when the control rod 16 is activated to move downward, the control rod 16 comes to press against the crossbar retaining element 30, thereby resulting in disengagement of the hooked portion 33 of the crossbar retaining element 30 with a horizontal rod 141 of the seat 14. As a result, the seat 14 can be freely raised by the control rod 16. As the seat 14 is being raised, the two locating elements 40 are relieved of the pressure of the seat 14, thereby enabling the locating portion 42 of the two locating elements 40 to be forced by the spring force of the elastic portion 43 to catch the axle 18 of the slide wheel 17 to prevent the seat 14 from moving. As illustrated in Figs. 4, 7, 8, and 9, when the physically handicapped person is well positioned on the seat 14, the control rod 16 is activated to descend to the bottom. As a result, the two locating elements 40 are once again pressed against by the seat 14, thereby allowing the locating portion 42 to free the axle 18 of the slide wheel 17. As the backrest 161 is further adjusted by the control rod 16 for reclining, the slide wheel 17 of the bottom end of the control rod 16 is displaced upward to relieve the axle 18 of the pressure of the crossbar-retaining element 30. As a result, the horizontal rod 141 of the seat 14 is caught by the hooked portion 33 of the crossbar-retaining element 30, so as to prevent the seat 14 from moving. When the seat 14 is located at its ultimate bottom position, the backrest 161 is located at its maximal inclination. Under such circumstances, the backrest 161 is prone to be abruptly erected in the event that the seat 14 is raised by the control rod 16. The hooked portion 33 of the crossbar retaining element 30 serves to avert such an incident as described above. At the conclusion of bathing, the control rod 16 is activated to erect the backrest 161, thereby causing the slide wheel 17 and the axle 18 to move along the slot 23 and the slope 24 to press against the crossbar-retaining element 30. As a result, the hooked portion 33 of the crossbar-retaining element 30 is disengaged with the horizontal rod 141 of the seat 14. The two locating elements 40 act to locate the axle 18 in motion, thereby enabling seat 14 to be raised by the control rod 16, as illustrated in Fig. 9. In the meantime, the backrest 161 can be adjusted for reclining. The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being illustrative and nonrestrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A bathing device for use by a physically handicapped person, said bathing device comprising: a base provided with a movable rod; two support rods mounted on said base such that said two support rods are pivoted at a bottom end with said movable rod of said base, and that said two support rods are connected by a connection rod; a seat supported by said two support rods capable of a shearing action, said seat provided with two foldable leaves attached thereto; a backrest pivoted with said seat; and a control rod fastened pivotally at a top end with said backrest, and provided at a bottom end with a slide wheel mounted on an axle whereby said slide wheel is movably disposed in a retaining member mounted on said base; wherein said retaining member is formed of: a frame provided therein with a slide slot, and in two sides walls thereof with a slope, said frame further provided with a hollow interior, said slide slot being used to accommodate said slide wheel, said slope being used to accommodate one end of said axle whereby said frame is mounted on said base that said slide slot and said slopes of said frame are inclined; a crossbar retaining element is provided with an elastic portion and a hooked portion whereby said crossbar retaining element is pivoted to said frame such that said elastic portion is located under said axle; and two locating elements are provided with an elastic portion and a locating portion whereby said two locating elements are pivoted to said frame such that said two locating elements are opposite in location to each other, and that said locating portion is situated under said axle.

2. The bathing device as defmed in claim 1, wherein said crossbar retaining element is of an L-shaped construction.

3. The bathing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said elastic portion of said crossbar retaining element is a spiral or plate like spring.

4. The bathing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said elastic portion of said locating elements is a spiral or plate like spring.

5. A bathing device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.